LONDON: Europe is taking a big gamble as it moves to ban Russian coal, potentially leaving itself vulnerable to shortages and rolling blackouts while the rest of the world contends with surging prices. Russia is Europe’s top supplier of thermal coal, used to fuel power stations.... There are also logistical complications when it comes to quickly pivoting to new suppliers.... Coal stored in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Antwerp harbors remain at the lowest for the season in at least six years, accor

The leaders met and discussed a number of items, including aggressive behaviour from Russia and China.... Mr Biden and Ms Merkel agreed to collaborate against Russian aggression and anti-democratic actions by China.“ We stand together and will continue to stand together to defend our eastern flank allies at NATO against Russian aggression, ” Biden said during their joint news conference. The President of the United States, 78, and the German Chancellor, 66, discussed ongoing pandemic restrictio

crash of the Iranian riyal and hit ordinary Iranians hard.... Rouhani sat stone-faced throughout the

PARIS( Reuters)-Winning next month's legislative election may be a long shot for France's new hard

Kenny MacAskill has criticised Scotland’s First Minister’s anti-Brexit stance, claiming it fails to

Those who need protection must receive it as close as possible to their country of origin," Interior Minister Karl Nehammer told the APA news agency. Austria was one of six EU countries that insisted last week on their right to forcibly deport rejected Afghan asylum seekers.... Three of the countries--Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands--have since changed course. The Oesterreich newspaper published an opinion poll showing up to 90% of respondents backed the Austrian government's line.... It

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi speaks in a session of parliament to submit his budget bill for the next year, in Tehran, Iran, on Dec.... Talks in Vienna between the remaining signatories to the 2015 agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, resumed last week in Vienna.... The United States has participated indirectly in the ongoing talks because it withdrew from the accord in 2018 under then-President Donald Trump....

taking more of a uniform, federal stance.... It’s hard to have it both ways, especially in an election

As a candidate for president, Joe Biden was not shy about calling out dictators and authoritarian leaders as he anchored his foreign policy in the idea that the world is in a battle between democracy and autocracy.... “ President Biden committed to putting human rights and democracy at the heart of our foreign policy.... It is," Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters at a summit closing news conference Friday....

They have cast their demands as an “ absolute imperative ” and have argued that the Western failure to meet them makes talks on other issues irrelevant. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the U.S. and Russia reached “ some understandings ” during last week's talks.... “ Anyone who thought that NATO was no longer relevant to European security has been taught a lesson in the last few months.... Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed to this report....